My Garden

by Kevin Henkes

The girl in this book grows chocolate rabbits, tomatoes as big as beach balls, flowers that change color, and seashells in her garden.

How does your garden grow?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Storytime, Gardening, Nature, Fantasy, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published February 23, 2010

About the author

Kevin Henkes is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. As an illustrator he won the Caldecott Medal for Kitten's First Full Moon (2004). Two of his books were Newbery Medal Honor Books, Olive's Ocean in 2004 and The Year of Billy Miller in 2014. His picture book Waiting was named both a 2016 Caldecott Honor Book and a Geisel Honor Book. It was only the second time any author has won that combination of awards.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know anything about the book and was surprised to discover it is not so much about actual gardening (though there is a real garden the mom and daughter plant) as imaginative gardening as the little girl dreams of having a garden with no weeds or dead plants, and wants to plant seashells (to grow seashells, of course!) and jellybeans to grow candy plants. And there would be no carrots, because she does not like them ;-) Overall, I appreciated the imaginative approach, though I do love real rabbits more than chocolate ones! (You'll see if you read this.)

I love Kevin Henkes, especially his "mouse books" (i.e., Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse) and was so excited when my library finally got a copy of this book. Fittingly enough, it came a few days after we did some planting in our own yard and I read this outside on a very pleasant afternoon :-) I'm not sure this is one of my favorite Henkes titles (it just lacks that extra depth of the mouse books, IMO, and I am not as big a fan of the illustrations style here) but it's definitely worth exploring especially if you have an imaginative little one interested in gardening.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A girl can dream...

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chocolate rabbits and strawberry lanterns, and flowers that change their colors and have patterns? Sign me up! No carrots and things such as buttons and umbrellas? No thank you. But, that’s what makes this book such fun. Every reader/listener is encouraged to think about what their ideal garden might contain.

A lot of imagination, some humor and some whimsy, and a lot f fun.

I’m not sure I was wild about the illustrations, especially given what they could be given that the story is about gardens, but they’re appealing. I did enjoy the many different colored birds.

This isn’t one of my favorite Kevin Henkes's books, but it’s cute, and it would be fun to hear the garden ideas children come up with after they’ve read/listened to this book. I’d have loved it as a child; I always wanted a (more conventional) garden.

[Wendi Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from the library for my toddler on a whim. She normally picks books about cartoon animals, but we've been working in the garden together, and I thought it might be a nice change of pace. She loved it so much, she immediately asked me to read it again. I enjoyed the lush artwork and whimsical story. This definitely goes on our to-buy list.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young girl describes her own ideal garden in this paean to childhood imagination, envisioning a fantastic space with no weeds, chocolate bunnies that the girl can eat (rather than flesh-and-blood bunnies who eat the plants), flowers that automatically grow again, when picked, and soil in which anything that is planted - sea shells, jelly beans - will yield a crop. The colorful ink and watercolor illustrations have a simple, folksy feeling that accentuates the "simple" pleasures of a garden, while also capturing the magical elements of the tale, from the sunflowers that change color, to the heavily-laden jelly bean tree.

Like so many of Kevin Henkes other "non-mouse" picture-books that I have read - most recently, Old Bear - I found that I enjoyed My Garden, but did not think it outstanding. I certainly liked the idea of it (not to mention getting a kick out of the jelly-bean tree, as that's something I might have wished for myself, as a young girl), but somehow the end result was not as enchanting as one might expect, given the immense talents of this author/artist. I'm not one to say that artists shouldn't try new styles, and I certainly haven't disliked any of his recent work (which includes the Caldecott Medal-winning Kitten's First Full Moon), but I think in my heart of hearts I will always prefer Henkes' earlier "mouse" stories, both from an artistic and storytelling perspective.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the concept of this book - a little girl who, while helping her mother in their garden, imagines the type of garden *she* would have. Her imagination is endless, from planting seashells to grow seashells, to jellybeans to grow candy plants, to all sorts of things in between!

I love books that inspire and promote imagination, and this book does just that.

I did feel though that the book needed more connection (the things to plant felt a little too random for me). And the bit about there not being real bunnies in the girl's garden, but instead chocolate bunnies that she could eat seemed just a little disturbing (not that I think it was meant that way, but, it was just a little odd for me...). Plus, I would love real rabbits way more than chocolate ones :)

All in all though it was an enjoyable book with vibrant illustrations!

[Jo ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the description, I wasn't sure if I was going to like this but I ended up loving it! It's surprisingly cute.

While helping her mother in the garden, a little girl daydreams about what her garden would look like if she had one. Tomatoes as big as beach balls, chocolate rabbits instead of real ones, flowers that can change colour just by thinking about it and when you pick a flower, a new one pops up!

I especially enjoyed the jelly bean bush and the strawberries that glow like lanterns.

The illustrations are amazing. Soft pastels and water colours really bring the story to life and the little girl is so adorable. I love the page where she's standing in the midst of hundreds of birds and butterflies.

I think any child would love a garden just like this!

[Jacoba · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Garden by Kevin Henkes (2010)
Genre: Picture book
Format: Book
Plot summary: A young girl imagines her dream garden complete with jellybean bushes, chocolate rabbits, and tomatoes the size of beach balls.
Considerations or precautions for readers advisory (strong language, sex, death, religious overtones, violence, etc.): No special consideration
Review citation (if available: Novelist, Janssen, Carolyn School Library Journal , March 2010, Vol. 56 Issue 3, p119-120
Section source used to find the material: Children's Core Readling, Novelist
Recommended age:K-3rd grade

[B.P.]

Young girl imagines her perfect garden. Great colours, illustrations and ideas.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the dreams in her garden. Such a simple imaginative take on gardening. My favorite one was the garden of seashells. Would be a great addition to a storytime on gardens or imagination.

And yes, this would be my type of garden.

[Vernon Area Public Library KIDS · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little girl's imagination creates this colorful tale of what it be would like if she planted a garden! Flowers can change colors just by thinking it. Even chocolate rabbits and seashells would have a home in her garden. My granddaughter loves her mother's garden, and this is the perfect book for her!

Reviewed by Debbie Hersh, Circulation, Vernon Area Public Library

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whimsical book about what a girl would grow in her ideal garden. The illustrations make it look like she’s having so much fun in the garden.

[Tegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love her imagination. I would definitely love a garden like this. A fun read-a-long where you could ask the kids what would be or wouldn't be in their garden.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imagination prevails as this young girl dreams of the garden she would create. Lovely illustrations pull the readers in.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A child helps in the garden and daydreams about all the things she would grow if the garden were hers. This was a delight to look at, and was filled with imagination and the wonder of trying to figure out just how things grow and which things planted in soil will net results (like jelly beans or seashells).

I wanted to go back and just look at the pictures all over again after reading this book. This is one that makes me smile, and makes me eager to work outside in my own garden. One for the favorites shelf!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Garden / Kevin Henkes / 2010
Genre: fiction
Format: picture book

Plot Summary: After helping her mother weed, water, and chase the rabbits from their garden, a young girl imagines her dream garden complete with jellybean bushes, chocolate rabbits, and tomatoes the size of beach balls.

Considerations: none

Review Citation:
Booklist May 29 2013
"Young children will enjoy the girl’s silly and ingenious exploits in her imaginary garden"

Selection Source: Booklist reviews
Recommended age: 0-5

[Allison Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imagination as well as flowers bloom in this book. A young girl, after working in her mother's garden, imagines what her own garden would be like: flowers would change colors, seashells would grow on stems, and carrots would be invisible, because "I don't like carrots." Henkes' artwork is bright and bubbly, often busy pastels that might overwhelm without the blissfully white and simple text pages facing each illustration.

[Sarah A · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the general idea of this book and really liked the twist at the end and the beautiful illustrations. However the little girl growing chocolate bunny rabbits and then eating them instead of real bunny rabbits eating her mothers lettuce was just weird and made both me and my daughter go what??!
So apart from that glitch, a reasonable kids book.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and colorful book imagines a fantastical garden to a young girl's specifications. Sure to provoke a lot of discussion about young readers' own imaginary gardens. I was a little weirded out by the chocolate rabbits that the girl collected to eat, because they appeared to be mobile and sentient.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Kevin Henkes, I love your books!
"If I planted seashells, I'd grow seashells. if I planted jelly beans, I'd grow a great big jelly bean bush." This reminded of the time i buried charcoal all over my yard because i thought diamonds would pop out.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who kills everything I try to grow, I approve of the fantastic garden imagined by the protagonist and wouldn't mind having a similar one. This book is a wonderful ode to the power of imagination and the vivid illustrations compliment the text perfectly.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice book about an imaginative girl who describes her dream garden - with chocolate bunnies and seashell plants.

Kevin Henkes has a lot of great books and this one's a good, quick read, perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.

[Franki Sibberson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great new title by Henkes. Reminds me of when I planted crayons, hoping more would grow.

[Dana Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagination and garden. An inspiring book.

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable with child-like illustrations and voice. Who wouldn't love to imagine a garden with glowing strawberries, or invisible carrots, or blooming umbrellas?

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um, ok... Use as a story-starter? I prefer real gardens myself... it takes a full application of creativity to imagine perfectly ordinary tomatoes succeeding in my bed....

[Erin Schoenherr · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. Summary: This book is about a little girl who helps her mother take care of the garden, but she also imagines her own garden. She imagines the strawberries glow like lanterns, the rabbits are chocolate, she would grow seashells and tomatoes as big as beach balls.

2. Review: I think this is a great picture book because it shows imagination and creativity to young children. The little girl imagines her own magical garden and it will allow children to foster imagination as well. It also has beautifully drawn pictures that adds color and visuals to the story.

3. Elmer the Patchwork Elephant by David Mckee is a picture book you could pair with this book because they both allow for artistic creativity in the story and in response to the story. In Elmer, the elephants have many different patterns on them, and in My Garden, the girl imagines many different things in her garden.

4. "In my garden, there would be birds and butterflies, by the hundreds, so that the air was humming with wings".
I would use this quote to get students thinking creatively about their own garden that they would want to create.

[Cassandra Gelvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Living chocolate bunnies would be kind of gross, though.

It's cute, but it kind of implies that a magical garden like the girl describes actually exists. I think if it was clearer about that, it would be great. The narrator, a girl, describes her ideal garden, with no weeds, magical flowers, bunnies made of chocolate, seashells and jelly beans and umbrellas growing in the ground, and "The carrots would be invisible because I don't like carrots." That's cute. At the end, the girl plants a seashell in her mother's garden and then the end page has no text, just a picture of a seashell with a root coming out.

I feel like it's going to give kids ideas that that kind of thing actually could happen. I understand that imagination is awesome, I do. But you can you can have a great imagination, and also have respect for the natural world and the hard work that people put into gardens and things like that.

Message: A magic garden would be awesome. Or, imagination is cool.

For more children's book reviews, see my website at http://www.drttmk.com.

[Rebecca Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you could grow anything in your garden, what would you grow? In My Garden by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow, 2010), a little girl imagines the gorgeous garden she would grow if she could grow her own garden. In her garden, the flowers would be magical, the weeds would be non-existent, and she’d enjoy tasty chocolate rabbits and jelly beans from her jelly bean tree. Kevin Henkes’ lovely marker-and-watercolor illustrations bring to life the girl’s imaginative garden. I wish I could step right in to enjoy the glowing strawberries and beach-ball sized tomatoes.

My Garden would pair well with an imaginative lesson about gardening or any lesson in the spring time, but the imaginative qualities also make it a lovely picture book for all the time. My favorite line is “the carrots would be invisible because I don’t like carrots.” Use My Garden as a writing prompt for children to write about what they would like in their own garden.

On the blog: https://reviews.rebeccareid.com/my-ga...

[Kaitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Garden captures the innocence of being a child. As the young girl helps her mom in the garden, she begins to think of what her garden would be like if she had her very own. As her imagination runs wild, she thinks of planting shells, jelly beans, and wonders what she can do with the flowers. This fun and bright colored story is both engaging and entertaining. I enjoyed how the illustrations were representative of what the little girl was thinking for her own garden. I also really enjoyed the ending of the story. I thought it was fun the way that the author kept the characters hope of having her own garden alive. I think this would be a fun writing work shop book for my future students. After we are done reading this book, I think it would be great for the students to think of what they would want to grow if they could grow anything.